Acts 16:31 kjv
And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
Acts 16:31 nkjv
So they said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household."
Acts 16:31 niv
They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved?you and your household."
Acts 16:31 esv
And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household."
Acts 16:31 nlt
They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household."
Acts 16 31 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| John 3:16 | ...whoever believes in him shall not perish... | Eternal life through faith |
| Acts 2:21 | And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. | Calling on the Lord for salvation |
| Romans 10:9 | ...if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. | Confession and belief for salvation |
| Ephesians 2:8 | For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, | Salvation as a gift of grace |
| Ephesians 2:9 | not of works, lest anyone should boast. | Salvation not by works |
| Acts 4:12 | Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. | Jesus as the only means of salvation |
| Acts 16:14 | ...whose heart the Lord opened to heed the things spoken by Paul. | God's work in opening hearts |
| John 6:29 | This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent. | Faith as God's work |
| Mark 16:16 | He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. | Belief and baptism |
| John 1:12 | But as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in his name. | Receiving Christ and becoming children of God |
| Acts 11:14 | ...who will tell you words by which you and all your household will be saved. | Salvation for household |
| Galatians 3:26 | For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. | Sons of God through faith |
| Acts 2:39 | For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are in the realm, whoever the Lord our God shall call. | Promise of salvation for many |
| Romans 1:16 | For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, | Gospel as power for salvation |
| 1 Corinthians 15:2 | By which also you are saved, if you hold fast to what word I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. | Holding to the gospel |
| Acts 22:16 | 'And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.' | Arising, baptism, and calling on the Lord |
| 1 Peter 3:21 | ...baptism not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, | Baptism as a response of conscience |
| Acts 16:30 | And he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" | The jailer's urgent question |
| Romans 6:4 | Therefore we were buried with him through baptism to death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. | Baptism symbolizing death and resurrection |
| Titus 3:5 | not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, | Salvation through God's mercy |
| John 14:6 | Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." | Jesus as the only way to the Father |
Acts 16 verses
Acts 16 31 Meaning
This verse provides the foundational answer of faith required for salvation. Believing in the Lord Jesus Christ is the sole requirement for an individual to be saved, both they and their household. It's a direct, personal invitation to accept Jesus' atoning work and Lordship. Salvation is presented as a gift received by faith, not by works or rituals.
Acts 16 31 Context
This verse is the pivotal response to the Philippian jailer's cry, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" (Acts 16:30). Paul and Silas, after being miraculously freed from prison through an earthquake, are presented with a direct inquiry about salvation. The immediate context is the powerful spiritual impact of their ministry and divine intervention. Historically, this event takes place during Paul's second missionary journey. The culture of the Roman Empire at the time had a variety of religious and philosophical systems, and the introduction of Christianity offered a starkly different path to peace and reconciliation with God. There were prevalent polytheistic beliefs and emperor worship that the early Christians’ singular devotion to Christ would have directly challenged.
Acts 16 31 Word Analysis
- Believe: (Greek: pisteusate - πιστεύσατε) - This is an aorist imperative, meaning it's a command to "place trust" or "have faith" in someone or something. It implies not just intellectual assent but a volitional act of reliance and commitment. In the biblical context, faith is always directed towards God and His revealed promises and person.
- in: (Greek: eis - εἰς) - A preposition indicating motion into or effect upon. Here it signifies the object of belief and the sphere into which one enters by believing.
- the Lord: (Greek: Kurion - Κύριον) - A title of authority and deity. It translates the Hebrew Adonai and is used in the Septuagint for the covenant name of God (Yahweh). When applied to Jesus, it declares His divine sovereignty and lordship.
- Jesus: (Greek: Iesous - Ἰησοῦν) - The Greek transliteration of the Hebrew name Joshua (Yehoshua), meaning "Yahweh saves." This name is inherently tied to Jesus' mission as the Savior.
- and: (Greek: kai - καὶ) - A conjunction connecting the belief in Jesus with the second part of the salvific promise.
- your household: (Greek: ton he oikon sou - τὸν οἶκον σου) - Refers to the entire family unit, including dependents and servants. The offer of salvation extended to the entire household was a significant cultural and religious aspect. This echoes promises of covenant inclusion for families in the Old Testament.
Acts 16 31 Bonus Section
The emphasis on belief in "the Lord Jesus" combines two crucial titles. "Jesus" points to His human identity and role as the promised Messiah and Savior. "Lord" signifies His divine authority and position as ruler over all creation. Together, they declare Jesus as both God and Savior, the unique object of saving faith. The assurance of salvation for the "household" echoes Old Testament examples, such as in Joshua 24:15, where Joshua declared, "But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord," indicating a commitment that encompassed the family unit. This perspective underlines that salvation often has a ripple effect within families, demonstrating God's relational covenantal approach to redemption.
Acts 16 31 Commentary
Paul and Silas present salvation as a singular, faith-based act directed at the person of Jesus Christ. The command to "believe in the Lord Jesus" is not a suggestion but a directive of paramount importance. This faith is not a passive intellectual agreement but an active, entrusting of oneself to Jesus' finished work on the cross and His authority as Lord. The phrase "and your household will be saved" highlights the communal aspect of faith; a household's salvation was often understood in the context of the patriarchal family structure of the time. This assurance of salvation for the household, upon the faith of its head or a member, demonstrates the comprehensive nature of God's saving grace, often extending beyond the individual believer to their immediate community, mirroring Old Testament covenantal promises that included the entire family or household. This doctrine, sometimes referred to as household salvation, illustrates God's holistic redemptive plan.